The invention relates to the field of clothes drying and finishing (i.e. wrinkle removal), and more particularly to a portable device for drying and removing wrinkles from clothing.
There has long been a need for a highly portable device which is effective in drying and removing wrinkles from clothing. This need applies in particular to travelers, who typically hand wash clothing in a sink, and then drip dry the wet clothing. Drip drying is very time consuming, and typically leaves clothing articles wrinkled.
Prior attempts to solve this problem are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,492 of Brooks and U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,516 of Dahman. Each of these patents pertain to clothes dryers that are portable and suitable for use while traveling.
The device of the Brooks patent employs an inflatable, air impervious bag and a special fan for inflating and blowing a current of air over clothes hung inside the bag. Although the clothing may be dried more quickly than simply drip drying, wrinkles will remain in the dried clothing. Moreover, this device is somewhat portable, but requires the traveler to pack the fan as well as the bag, thereby contributing to the bulk of the device.
The device of the Dahman patent employs an impermeable member that fits within the waist opening of the pants, clamps for closing the pant legs, and a portable hair dryer for blowing air through an opening in the member and into the interior of the pants. The pants are accordingly inflated so that air passes through the pores of the pants. Although this device may effectively dry and remove wrinkles from a pair of pants, and uses a portable hair dryer which the traveler would ordinarily pack for hair drying, it cannot be used with any article of clothing other than a pair of pants. Therefore, the utility of this device is highly limited.